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B.C. Chief Justice says gang police not been banned from his courthouse

Though Robert Bauman did ask them to "avoid being blatantly and oppressively present

The atrium of the B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver. B.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Bauman says gang police have not been banned from his courthouse, though he asked them to "avoid being blatantly and oppressively present."

Photograph by: Ian Smith
, PNG

VANCOUVER -- B.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Bauman says anti-gang police have not been banned from his courthouse, though he asked them to “avoid being blatantly and oppressively present.”

Bauman issued a statement Thursday in response to Vancouver Sun stories quoting the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit saying its officers had been told to stay away from the Vancouver Law Courts.

“No directive of any sort was given by my office or the sheriffs’ service that these officers not attend the courthouse,” Bauman said.

Bauman said that concerns were expressed last year when uniformed officers from the unit patrolled the building during court appearances by several rival gangsters, including Sukh Dhak, who is on trial there on trafficking charges.

“About one year ago, concerns were expressed in various quarters that the highly visible attendance by Gang Task Force officers in the hallways of the courthouse in Vancouver was giving the impression that the courthouse was an armed camp,” Bauman said.

“That is not the profile the courthouse should project. It should reflect openness — a calm and reflective atmosphere in which critical judicial proceedings can proceed impartially and where the public is free so far as is reasonable to come and go and witness the proceedings unfold.”

Bauman said that he asked B.C. Sheriffs, who are in charge of court security, to have informal discussions with Vancouver Police about the gang officers’ patrols.

“They did so and simply asked that outside police forces liaise closely with the sheriffs’ service when attending our courthouse and that they do so in a manner sensitive to the needs of the institution and the public who wish to access its proceedings,” Bauman said. “They agreed and there have been no problems reported to me with their attendance in the courthouse since then until these recent newspaper articles.”

Bauman’s statement makes no reference to an incident Tuesday where gang unit officers arrived at the building only to be denied entry by the sheriffs. At the time, there were four gang trials going on side by side and gangsters and supporters were milling around together.

Bauman said he has every confidence in the sheriffs to keep the courthouse safe.

“They are very well-equipped to deal with today’s security concerns. Of course in carrying out their duties, they liaise closely with law enforcement agencies including, in Vancouver, with the Vancouver police department with whom they have an excellent relationship,” he said.

“Of course the courthouse must maintain a safe environment, but there are many ways to ensure this without sacrificing openness and accessibility.”

The Sun stories quoted CFSEU media officer, Sgt. Lindsey Houghton saying “our overt uniform presence has been reduced at the request of the courts and judiciary since last year. You’d have to ask them why that is.”

Bauman responded in his statement: “No security concerns have been brought to my attention in the past year. If any police forces had those concerns I would expect to hear directly from their senior officers. That has not happened to date.”

Spotlights

The atrium of the B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver. B.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Bauman says gang police have not been banned from his courthouse, though he asked them to "avoid being blatantly and oppressively present."

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